View full sizeCourtesyGull Lake graduate Caleb Porter's University of Akron soccer team went 90-13-10 in his first five seasons as the helm. The defending NCAA champion Zips visit WMU at 1 p.m. Saturday.

The University of Akron men's soccer program has quickly become a factory for churning out professional players.

During the offseason, seven players from the Zips' NCAA championship team were drafted by Major League Soccer clubs. Five of those picks came in the first round, setting an MLS record for most first-rounders from one school.

The man overseeing the assembly line is Gull Lake High School graduate Caleb Porter, who said he has just as much of an obligation to produce quality players and advance the sport as he does to win games.

"I think that's a big part of developing the game," said Porter, whose No. 4-ranked team will play Western Michigan University on Saturday at 1 p.m. at the WMU Soccer Complex on Parkview Avenue.

"As college soccer coaches, we need to not just look at winning games, but playing games the right way and hopefully we're developing players by playing a brand of soccer that will develop them and generate a passion for the sport. Here at Akron, we want to raise the bar for college soccer."

Porter and Co. certainly are doing that.

With a state-of-the-art facility that drew an average of 3,200 spectators per match last season, the Zips have transformed Akron into a Midwest Mecca of college soccer. It certainly didn't hurt matters when the Zips reached the NCAA championship for the second straight time last season and earned the school's first NCAA title in any sport.

Now, Akron looks to duplicate its success this season after losing seven from last year's squad.

Akron at WMU

When: 1 p.m. Saturday at WMU Soccer ComplexAdmission: Free

Of the seven, five were underclassmen that left to play in the MLS. Brimming with youth, the Zips are off to a 5-0-2 start.

"Going into this year, our philosophy is the same; we're not going to change," said Porter, who entered his sixth season with the Zips as the NCAA's active leader in winning percentage at .841 (90-13-10, .841).

"It doesn't mean we'll necessarily be the finished product we were last year, but our approach is the same. We're going to play good soccer, we're going to possess the ball and attack and continue to recruit soccer players with the goal of being professional soccer players."

Porter said he won't get too sentimental about returning home for Saturday's contest against Western Michigan (3-5-0), but playing in Kalamazoo isn't a normal match for him, either.

"It's special every year when I get to come back to my roots, where I grew up and where I learned the game and developed a passion for soccer," he said. "I've certainly had some coaches in Kalamazoo over the years that have impacted my life."